Probate & Building Insurance

Bebnbenb

Hi,

Hope you can help.

I need to arrange buildings insurance for my late father's house, currently unoccupied and hopefully soon sold.

I've given up trying to arrange it online as while the companies state that they provide probate/unoccupied insurance, the questions on the forms seem to be the same as standard questions, and so do not make sense in the circumstances (e.g. there is a homeowner/renting selection).

I am the executor of the estate, and any monies from the sale of the house will be divided between 3 parties. Probate was granted some time ago.

I have just spent some time on a call with one insurance company trying to set insurance up, to be unsuccessful and left a little confused.

My understanding is that probate grants me the right to deal with the property, and that the property still belongs to the estate. Nothing has changed on the deeds, and so the house remains in my father's name. However, I've been told by the insurance company I called this morning that probate means that the house now belongs to the 3 parties who the estate will be divided between.

Which is correct? I now can't take insurance out until I understand if my estranged sister (who I have no address for) and I share ownership, or if the house still belongs to the estate, as I though.

Once that bit has been cleared up, if anyone can recommend any insurer for this purpose, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Ben

huckster

It should be straightforward. While probate may have been granted,the estate has not yet been distributed. The Insurers might register it in the name of the Executor of the estate of the late Mr x and make a note of the interested parties.

Speak to a brokers like Home Protect or Towergate and they will point you in the right direction.

Bebnbenb

Thanks.

All sorted now. I rang back and this call centre agent I got this time told me that his colleague had been wrong.

Cheers

Ben